


People get hurt sometimes

by Fandomnerdfrogs



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Crying, Gen, Some Fluff, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:22:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 46
Words: 11,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25385245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandomnerdfrogs/pseuds/Fandomnerdfrogs
Summary: A series of one shots where I'm gonna be hurting the bois. Thanks to the angst server for the ideas! Trigger warning for each chapter. There will be some fluff later on don't worry it just takes time.
Comments: 17
Kudos: 127





	1. Games

**Author's Note:**

> Tw: heights, falling, blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death, blood

They were only playing. It was only a game. And yet Leo pushed too hard. Mikey fell. Fifteen story's was all it took. The box turtle hit the ground with a snap and stopped moving. Blood pooled around his head like a halo, his neck twisted at an impossible angle. By the time Leo reached his brother it was too late. He was gone. Leo cradled his baby brother's corpse as he wept. 

The three remaining brothers were torn apart. Leo despised himself for what he did. Donnie was empty, a shell of his former self. Raph was harsher, always giving others the cold shoulder. April stopped visiting, the tension too much for her. Splinter lost all of his sons that day. His broken heart was too much and he passed shortly after. The teenage mutant ninja turtles were no more.


	2. I'm always going to be with you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: claws, death

"Donnie! My absolute favourite twin brother! What are you working on?" Leo called as he walzed into Donnie's lab.  
"What do you want nardo?" Donnie groaned, unimpressed.  
"Am I not allowed to check in on you?" Leo responded, draping himself over his twin.  
"That isn't it. It's just- you aren't here."  
"But I am. I'm right here. I always am. I promised. Remember?"

Donnie remembered it all. The way Leo was cast aside by the shredder, the way his claws dug into his flesh, the way he fell to the ground. The way he said "I'll still be with you. I promise." When Donnie tried to help him. The way Leo died in his arms. 

"I do." Donnie responded, tears falling down his face.  
"Hey, it's okay. Don't cry. I'm still here. Now tell me, what've you been working on?" Leo said, swifly hugging his brother, calming him down. 

Raph and Mikey looked on as Donnie spoke to himself.  
"He's been like this ever since Leo died... Is he gonna be okay?" Mikey asked Raph.  
"I don't know."


	3. Medical procedures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw:death, blood, stitches.  
> I put in medic!Leo and I cant really write things like that. Also happy birthday rise!

Scratch marks ran all across his body. His shell was torn to shreds and his breathing was laboured.  
"Come on buddy stay with us. Donnie get me the alchohol, needle and thread!" Leo shouted, trying to keep his eldest brother alive.  
His hands fumbled as he cleaned the needle and started sewing his brother together as best as he could.  
"Shouldnt you clean-" Donnie asked.  
Leo threw a packet of plasters at his brother in fear and anger. He paused and turned back to Raph, who's breathing had slowed significantly.  
"I know. I want to keep him alive first. Can you keep an eye on his pulse for me?" Leo muttered as he continued stitching Raph up.  
Donnie placed his hand on Raph's neck, finding a faint pulse. It faded away until it was no more.  
"Leo... He's gone." Donnie whispered, retracting his hand.  
Leo's eyes widened. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't. He lunged over to find a pulse that wasn't there.  
He ran across the room to the defibrilator, turning it on as fast as he could.  
"Leo it won't-"  
"Shut up Donnie!" Leo shouted, throwing the defibrillator at his brother.  
"We should go tell the others." Donnie muttered, turning away and leaving the room.  
Leo fell to the ground, sobbing. Raph's blood was on his hands. He couldn't save him. It was his fault. 

"We couldn't save Raph. He's gone." Donnie told them.  
Mikey stepped back, tears flowing down his face.  
April looked down at the floor, covering her mouth in shock.  
Splinter didn't react. He stood there looking at his son, a look he couldn't understand. Splinter turned away and locked himself in his room.  
Shredder had to pay.


	4. Battle nexus of new york

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for battle nexus new york. The original draft was apparently very funny.  
> Tw: blood, death

Mikey threw the truck at shredder with all his strength. Shredder wasnt facing him, all his attention was on Leo. And yet he still managed to teleport out of the way at the last second.  
But Leo didnt move fast enough. He disappeared under the truck.  
Mikey screamed for his brother as he ran over remnants of the city streets.  
He lifted the truck and reached for his brother. Mikey took hold of Leo's hand and pulled him out from under the wreckage.  
His body was broken. Blood caked the area around him, leaving its marks on the youngest's hands.  
"I'm so sorry." Mikey whispered over and over, sobbing over his dead brothers body. He killed his own brother. It was all his fault.


	5. Bravery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: bit of blood and gore and death

One of the most notorious things about April was her bravery. She was always going head first into danger to help others. But it would eventually be her demise.  
She ran towards Draxum, bat raised, ready to land a hit. Her battle cry sold her out. Letting Draxum land one hit on her.  
"April O'Nei-" she shouted before one of Draxum's vines shot towards her body.  
It ran through her chest, holding her in place. Her face was frozen in shock as Draxum watched the life drain out of her.  
"Puny human." He spat before tossing her aside. 

The turtles mourned the loss of their friend. Her parents didn't know what happened. All they thought was that she either ran away or went missing. Nobody could tell them.  
April O'Neill was the bravest person the turtles knew. And she would always be with them.


	6. Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: fire, death

The purple dragons crossed a line. Donnie marched into their personal warehouse, sheldon behind him.  
"Don't you dare hurt me or my family again." He growled, pointing his tech-bo at them.  
"Oh boo hoo did we hurt your feelings? Do you need some chocolate milk to calm down?" Kendra taunted.  
Donnie rolled his eyes and started walking towards them.  
"Don't walk any closer Von Ryan. Or we will burn this warehouse to the ground." Kendra warned as she dismissed the other two dragons.  
"And destroy your precious tech and inventions? You wouldn't dare."  
"You'd be surprised." Kendra smirked, pressing a button on her phone.  
The ground started to rumble. Explosions rung out from across the warehouse and Kendra ran towards a hidden man hole.  
Donnie ran for the exit. But he wasn't fast enough. The roof crashed down on him and Sheldon and he couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He blacked out, hearing the faintest beeping of Sheldon's emergency beacon. 

When the turtles reached him it was too late. The weight of the building and the fire was too much. They each lost someone important, someone they loved. And within a week, all that was left of the purple dragons, were the tattered remains of their silk jackets.


	7. Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The server was shocked at this one.

Mikey fell into the depths of the sewers, unable to see or hear anything. He retracted into his shell, hoping to conserve his air.  
He couldn't swim. He didn't know how. They told him it would come naturally but the shock of plunging into the water froze his mind. He begged for his brothers to save him. He begged for one of them to reach down and pull him up.  
And they did.   
He clung to his brothers, sobbing in their warm embrace as they asked him questions.  
"Are you alright?"  
"Did you swallow any water?"  
"Are you hurt?"  
Mikey knew the water was harmless, he learnt how to swim after years of cowering in fear. But the fear lingered in the back of his mind. The water was cold and dark. And could take life as easily as it could give it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look he didnt die. Is this going to be the start of a series of au's? Who knows?


	8. The ten duel commandments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: gun violence, death

"Leo why did you have a gun?" Raph screamed in his face.  
"It was a last resort I didn't mean for that to happen." Leo sobbed, holding his brothers hand.

Donnie had to get up and fight. His brothers were hurt and they had to stop the foot clan. He ran in front of them and a single gun shot ricochet around the streets. A fire ripped through his neck and he dropped.

Remember what Hamilton said Leo, Look em in the eye aim no higher, summon all the courage you require then count,  
One  
Two  
Three  
For  
Five  
Six  
Seven  
Eight  
Nine  
Donnie's gotten in the way  
"Wait" Leo screamed as he pulled the trigger.  
His brother fell to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im back on my bullshit :)


	9. Tech

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: explosions, death

Donnie punched the wall in frustration. His tech failed him. His own creation failed him. The tiniest flaw was enough for him to lose his father and brother.  
"Donnie-"  
"Fuck off Raph." Donnie spat.  
"It wasn't your fault Don." Leo said, looking his brother in the eye. 

But it was.

The explosion caught him and Mikey. His father ran in. Grabbed him and rushed him out. He ran back for Mikey. And the lab collapsed. 

"It was my fault."


	10. Its quiet uptown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

Splinter watched as he failed his sons. He trained them to be like his ancestors and watched as the shredder tore them apart. He remembered something Leo once sang.  
There are moments where the words dont reach. There is suffering too terrible to name. You hold your child as tight as you can, and push away the unimaginable.  
He tried to save them. He tried to protect them. And he failed.  
He failed his own children.


	11. Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

"Dad, I know you can't hear me."

The sound of his father hitting the floor echoed in the streets.

"But I really need your help."

They rushed towards him.

"I don't understand how I can do this."

There was nothing they could do.

"I need you to help me."

Their father and sensei was dead.

"How do I protect my brothers?" Raph asked his fathers grave.


	12. Peanut butter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

They didn't see the small blob of peanut butter on Raph's sandwich until it was too late. His face became swollen and his throat clogged up. He couldn't breathe. Mikey crouched next to his eldest brother panicking. He didn't have the epipen. It was his job to carry it. And he didn't. He called for his brothers. He called for anyone to help. But it never came.  
"It's okay. I forgive you." Raph whispered as best as he could before he ran out of breath.  
Mikey sobbed as he realised his brother would never be able to see him again. Never be able to laugh. Or smile. He was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rise can you please do something with the allergy. Its sad.


	13. Falling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: falling death

Draxum tossed him out. He heard Raph shouting his name as he dived towards him, somehow activilating his mystic tonfas and reaching out for Leo. He just missed and Leo hit the floor with a sickening crack. 

Raph screamed and begged for his brother to come back.


	14. Savage

Raph ran. Tears ran down his face. He hurt his brother. He hurt the people he was meant to protect. He got scared. He should've been the fearless leader he was meant to be. But Mikey got hurt. He threw his own brother against the sewer wall and watched as it cracked under the force. The worst thing was the sickening crack of Mikey. And the fact he didn't move.   
And so Raph ran. He didn't know where he was going. Probably to the hidden city he figured. It wouldn't be too hard to hide from his brothers. From the guilt.


	15. Savage pt2

Donnie ran after Raph, looking at his phone to find the red blip that was his brothers tracker. He looked down the sewer and saw his older brother hunched over sobbing.  
"Raph?" He asked.  
"Go away. I dont want to hurt you."  
"Raph-"  
"No. Please. I don't want to be like Mikey." Raph begged.  
Oh. Donnie let out a sigh of relief.  
"Mikey's going to be fine." Donnie whispered.  
"What?" Raph turned around.  
"Leo said some bones were broken and there was minor damage. But Mikey should recover." Donnie explained.  
Raph sobbed with relief, rushing over to hug his brother.  
Mikey would be alright, Raph repeated in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dont have the heart to kill Mikey im so sorry.


	16. Kendra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death, electricity

Kendra placed the device onto Leo's arm and watched as the turtle dropped to the ground, convulsing. She heard Donnie scream in rage and felt something hit the back of her head, throwing her across the room. She let out a strained laugh as Donnie rushed to his brothers side, sobbing. The device was still electrocuting the turtle amd she knew he wouldnt last long under that amound of shock. She used the wall to help her stand up before making her escape. The sound of Donnie screaming for his brother and sobbing, begging for him to come back made a faint and cruel smile creep on her face.  
"Revenge is sweet isn't it." She asked no-one in particular as she walked away from the faint sounds of crying.


	17. Kandra pt2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

Donnie shut himself away in his lab for a month. He refused to let his family near him. Not until Kendra payed for what she did. And she paid.

Donnie held Kendra by the throat, ready to drop her off the top of the Empire State.  
"Any last words?" Donnie spat in the teens face.  
"I regret nothing." She mocked, letting out a snide laugh.  
"Wrong words bitch." Donnie growled.  
He let go. He saw the news freaking out over a teenager falling and he couldn't care less. She paid for what she did. And that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for the gc


	18. Beach day

Nobody could've predicted what happened that day.   
"Come on Donnie! It's completely safe!" Leo called to his twin who was still sat on the sand.   
"Fine. But I'm running if anything touches my leg." Donie groaned before tentatively stepping into the ocean.  
He got neck deep before he felt it. Sharp claws dug into his skin as he was pulled down by something.   
He screamed for his brothers. Another claw latched onto his face as he was dragged away.   
This is it, he thought.

His brothers panicked. Their brother had been dragged under by something and he hadn't emerged for a few minutes.   
Until he was flung towards them and a monster emerged.

"Leo, get Donnie to safety!" Raph shouted at his brother.   
Leo grabbed Donnie by his torso and started dragging him to safety.  
"Come on Don you're strong. Keep it together." Leo muttered.  
Donnie groaned under him. Leo noticed small marks on his face, streaming droplets of blood. They were claw marks. 

Mikey charged at the monster, trying to tackle it into the water. But this thing was too fast. It grabbed Mikey and lifted him into the air staring at him with white eyes.   
"You hurt my brother! You- you monster!" Mikey screamed, flailing his arms.  
"Monster?" The thing growled, his eyes turning a sort of yellow.  
"Um yeah!" Mikey saw the creature up close.   
It was a crocodile. A sort of mutant crocodile.   
"I am sorry little one." He put Mikey down back into the water and turned away.  
"Wait!" Mikey yelled, "What's your name?"  
"I'm Leatherhead." He responded before diving back under the depths of the ocean.

Raph watched as the monster ran off and watched as his baby brother ran over to him.  
"Are you hurt?" He asked Mikey.  
"Yeah I'm fine. Is Donnie okay?" He asked.  
"I don't know. Come on." Raph responded, leading Mikey towards the shore where Leo was patching his twin up.   
"Donnie are you okay?" Raph asked.  
"That thing grabbed me, BY THE FACE" He hollered.   
"He'll be fine. Just a little cranky as always." Leo commented in relief.  
Mikey looked back at the ocean. Leather head was still out there. He hoped he'd be okay.


	19. Protect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

Mikey lunged. He had to protect his brother. Even if it was from something that would kill him. His scream peirced the air as the shredder brought his claws upon the turtles body.  
"Mikey- Mikey stay with me please." Raph pleaded, holding his baby brother close.  
"It's okay. I got to protect you, like you did for me- all these years." Mikey wispered before letting out his final breath.


	20. Rooftops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

Leo remembered when he fell. When Draxum threw him off the roof. When Raph saved him. He always wondered what would happen if the roles were reversed. If Raph was the one falling. Would he be able to save his brother? He never thought he'd have to face his question.  
He guessed his brother was ten storeys above the ground and he'd have to act fast.  
He opened a portal and started running. But suddenly it wasn't there.  
He failed. He couldn't control his own weapon. And his brother paid the price with his life.


	21. CPR

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

Leo knew CPR. He knew it didn't always work. But it had to. His baby brother had to live. And yet he didn't. He didn't wake up. Leo failed his baby brother.


	22. Cracks

His plastron was cracked. The shredder crushed him in his assault and Raph could hardly breathe.  
"This is bad this is bad this is bad." Leo muttered, checking his brother over.   
"Can you fix it?" Donnie asked.  
"I don't know." Leo admitted, guilt and shame lacing his words.   
"Hey, it's okay. Just take it slow and we can work through this. You helped repair my shell last time. You can repair this." Donnie said, hugging his brother tightly.   
Leo sighed and looked over at his brother.  
He could do this.


	23. Cracked pt 2

Raph awoke to a light snoring by his bed side. His littlest brother was laying down on his legs, slightly drooling. Raph moved Mikey's head and sat up. His chest hurt. He looked down and saw the bandages. Tied in a perfect knot, keeping them together.  
"Oh Leo, always the perfectionist." He sighed before standing up.  
The blood drained from his face and he fell to the floor, waking Mikey up.  
"Raph! Oh me gosh are you okay?" He asked, rushing over to Raph's side.  
"No- it- it hurts." Raph wimpered, clutching his plastron.  
Mikey examined his badages and gasped.  
"Okay you, uh, how do I put this- you broke them when you stood up. I think."  
"What do we do about it?" Raph heaved through the pain.  
Mikey paused and sighed in defeat.  
"I can try to redo your bandages?" He whispered.  
Raph paused. Mikey may have been the family artist and had experience tieing bows and knots but he always added a form of flair. So Leo banned him from using the bandages.  
"Do it." Raph groaned. 

Leo and Donnie walked into the med room and saw as Mikey threw down his final card.  
"I told you I could beat you in uno."  
"Uno is just pure luck. And you have too much of it." Raph scoffed.  
"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Leo asked as he set down a large box.  
"Well Raph woke up, tore his bandages, I fixed him up and now we're playing cards." Mikey said, reshuffling the cards.  
"Your what?" Donnie gasped, rushing over and examining what Mikey did.  
To his surprise, it was nearly perfect.  
"How long did this take you?" He asked.  
"I'm not sure. Maybe five minutes? I learnt to put function over flair. Do you wanna join?" Mikey continued before dealing the cards.  
The twins nodded and pulled up two chairs watching as their brother dealt their hands.  
"When will I be able to go out again?" Raph asked as he layed down the first card.  
"I'm not sure. Bed rest for at least a month, then we can see what happens from then on." Leo explained, laying down his card.  
"Well that sucks." Raph groaned.  
"It's the only way we can ensure you get better. And you will." Donnie sighed as the game sped up.  
It was a few more rounds before Mikey won.  
"Lucky son of a gun." Raph laughed.  
The twins glanced at eachother. Raph would be okay.  
"I told you you could do it." Donnie whispered.


	24. Big Mama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

His tech was broken. Everything he had was broken. He wanted to call for his brothers but he couldn't find the words. He wanted Leo to portal them out and yet he didn't have it. Big Mama did.  
"Now my little turtle-y boos, you destroyed my battle nexus, now it's time for me to destroy you." Big Mama cooed as she flung a web towards Mikey, latching onto him and pulling the youngest turtle brother towards her.  
"Mikey!" Raph called out to him, trying to reach out before one of Nig Mama's soldiers pinned his arms down.  
"It's okay you guys. It's going to be okay, I promise." Mikey stuttered, trying to smile throigh the pain as Big Mama squeezed his body.  
There was a loud crack. And she let go of the youngest, letting him hit the floor.  
She wiped the blood off her hands and smiled.  
"Eenie, meenie, miney, mo catch a turtle by it's toe, if it screams let it go, eenie meenie, miney, blue." She snarled, flinging another web towards Leo, grabbing him by his toe.  
Leo wailed in pain as he was dragged towards the spider.  
"Oh deary me! It seems as if you did scream! Oh well, time to let you go!"  
She threw him away as if he was an old toy. He hit the window and plummeted towards the streets of New York city, screaming for his brothers through heavy sobs. And then it stopped.  
Raph screamed and charged at Big Mama, rage giving him the strength to keep running. But Big Mama was fast. She grabbed the discarded odachi and held it out for Raph to run into.  
"Raph wait!" Donnie screamed. But it was too late.  
The odachi ran right through him and he gasped.  
"No fakeouts or hibernators this time." Big Mama taunted as she discarded the sword and Raph.  
"No- no. I'm so sorry. I'm soory I couldn't- I love you guys-" Donnie choked on his words, tears streaming down his face.  
"Now then purple. What should we do with you?" She asked, stepping towards him.  
"Fuck off." Donnie spat, crawling away from her as best as he could.  
"No that wont do. You know, I heard that in the human world people eat softshell turtles, and thats what you are isn't it? Maybe I can add you to my menu as a limited edition special." She snarled as she brought her leg down on his head.  
And suddenly everything went black.


	25. Cold

"He's freezing. Donnie what is this?" Raph asked as he cradled Leo in his arms.  
The red eared slider hd been coughing for weeks and had slowly gotten slower and less responsive. Until he collapsed.  
"Well apparently read eared sliders dont do well in the cold and need lots of sun. So the winter probably hasn't been helping." Donnie read from his phone.  
"So what do we do?" Mikey asked.  
"Keep him warm. Blankets, onsies, I'll get a UV light and someone text pops. He'd know what to do." Donnie responded as he ran off to his lab.   
Raph looked down at his sleeping brothers face. He was the big brother. The leader. And yet he didn't know about this. He pulled Leo closer and watched as Mikey brought over blankets and duvets. He just hoped it wasnt too late. 

Leo woke up in his bed, wondering why he was so cold. Why he couldn't move. Why his brothers were sat at his side.  
"What's going on?" He wheezed, something pushing on his chest.   
"Turns out sliders don't do well in the cold. You had the turtle version of hypothermia." Donnie explained as he leant over to check Leo's pulse. He let out a relief as he felt it and stepped back to let his brothers hug Leo.  
"So what do I do now?" Leo asked, before having a coughing fit.   
"Rest. Don't talk. And Mikey's gonna make you some soup." Raph explained, picking his brother up and settling him in his lap as if he were a toddler again.  
"Wait why are you-" Leo asked.  
"Remember when we were little and you got sick? You were so whiny you gave dad a headache and I had to look after you. This got you to calm down."  
Leo did remember. They couldn't have been older than seven. He smiled. He didn't want anything to change.


	26. Cold- alternate ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

"He's freezing. I can't find a pulse. Donnie what is this?" Raph asked as he cradled Leo in his arms.  
The red eared slider hd been coughing for weeks and had slowly gotten slower and less responsive. Until he collapsed.  
"Well apparently read eared sliders dont do well in the cold and need lots of sun. So the winter probably hasn't been helping." Donnie read from his phone.  
"So what do we do?" Mikey asked.  
"Keep him warm. Blankets, onsies, I'll get a UV light and someone text pops. He'd know what to do." Donnie responded as he ran off to his lab.  
Raph looked down at his sleeping brothers face. He was the big brother. The leader. And yet he didn't know about this. He pulled Leo closer and watched as Mikey brought over blankets and duvets. He just hoped it wasnt too late. 

But it was. Nothing they did worked. Raph held onto him, determined he could've fixed it. Determined he would wake up.  
"No please don't leave us. We need you." He sobbed, clutching onto memories of their past.  
He remembered when Leo hit his head and ran over to Raph, hoping for a plaster. He remembered when Leo got ill and annoyed their father to a headache and would sit in Raph's lap.  
He just wanted his brother back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friends hated me for this but I dont care its fun.


	27. Spanish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the shitty google translate Spanish but dad Hueso is good shit.

"Hola, Señor Hueso. Cómo estás?" Leo said as he waltzed into the restaurant.   
"Hola Leo. Estoy bien gracias. Y tú?"  
"Podría ser mejor. Can I have the usual?" Leo asked, pulling out a walled from one of his pouches.  
"Of course hijo. It'll be here shortly." Hueso responded, taking his payment.  
"I have been meaning to ask you something, why do you call me son? I know people do that for no reason but you never did when we first met." Leo asked after a few moments of silence.  
The skeleton paused.   
"I don't know. I can stop if you wish." Hueso responded.   
"No, I kinda like it." Leo admitted.   
"Anyway, you order is done." Hueso said, handing him five pizzas.   
"Is everything there?" Leo asked.  
"Yes it is." Hueso responded.  
"Gracias señor, have a good day!" Leo called as he left the building.  
"You too hijo. Mantente seguro."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Como estas- how are you  
> Estoy bien gracias- im good thanks  
> Podria ser mejor- could be better  
> Mantente seguro- stay safe  
> Hijo: son


	28. Restaurant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death, fire

Leo ran into the flaming restaurant and prayed Hueso was alright. The yokai were screaming as they ran out and Leo felt tears well in his eyes.  
"Hueso! Hueso!" He screamed into the flames.  
He heard faint coughs and a raspy voice calling his name. He ran towards it and found Hueso, his body being crushed by a beam and fire licking away at his body.  
"Señor? Come on, we gotta get you out of here." Leo begged as he lifted the wood.  
There was a loud crack and the roof above them started to cave in.  
"No, no mijo. You need to run. This place won't hold." Hueso told him.  
"But-"  
"No. It's already too late. Just go mijo. Live you life. Te amo mijo." The roof craked even more and Hueso pushed Leo aside as best as he could.  
The roof fell down and Hueso was swallowed by the debris. 

Leo sat in his lair scrolling through pictures on his phone. He was shocked at how many he had of him and Hueso.  
He printed his favourite one out and pulled out a red marker.  
'Te amo mi papà'


	29. Paint the sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

"Hey Mikey, you're gonna be okay." Raph promised, holding his baby brothers hand.  
"We're right here. We won't leave your side okay?" Donnie whispered, tears flowing down his face.  
"You know, some say that when an artist dies, they get to paint the sky however they want. So paint for the sky how you want it. We'll know it's you." Leo cried, sobs racking his body.  
Mikey gave a strained smile and let out a strained sigh.  
"I'll paint the sky. I love you guys." He sighed.

That night the sun shone vibrant hues of purple, blue, orange and red.


	30. Turtle tots

The four brothers ran around, not caring about their future. They stumbled into each other, sending themselves falling towards the floor.  
"Ow!" Mikey called from the bottom of the pile.  
The three slowly got up and looked to their baby brother, who was clutching his leg. The finest graze could be seen and the turtles gasped.  
"Mikey are you okay?" Raph asked, bending down.  
"Yeah I'm fine. Come on let's keep playing!" Mikey squealed with excitement, immediately running off.  
The three ran after him. They couldn't care less. Everything was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turtle tots fluff before rise murders us all.


	31. I'm falling from up high

_I've fallen_

The wind whipped through Raph's mask as he plummeted towards the ground

_From up high_

Leo dived after his brother, reaching out for him. 

_The world has said goodbye_

Raph hit the ground with a crack. He remembered Leo at his side, sobbing and begging as he pulled his brother to safety. 

_I'm not an angel_

Leo watched _as_ Raph rolled out in his wheelchair. He failed to save his big brother. 

_Not the answer_

His brother didn't seem phased. But Leo saw the look in his eyes. The hatred. The dissapointment. 

_How did life become a disaster_

Raph ccouldn't fight. They were left leaderless. Because Leo was useless at saving the ones he loved. Even if they saved him. 

_I'm just going nowhere faster_

Raph tried to race his brothers, tried to prove he was still the same. But he fell behind. 

_There was a time I was a hero_

Raph looked at his brothers fighting like nothing had happened. They were heroes. 

_But that hero's gone_

And yet Raph was stuck in his chair. But he had to try. He had to succeed. And he did. 

_There was a time when I was happy_

Leo looked at his brother. He kept smiling. He kept moving forward. And yet he was still stuck on that one moment. When everything changed. When he let his own brother get hurt. When he was useless and failed them. 

_But now it's all gone_


	32. Stay alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death

Leo swung his sword at the assailants, defending the skeleton.  
"Get away from him." He growled.  
And then a sharp pain ripped through his side. And everything went black.

Hueso looked at the turtle laying on his restaurant floor. The knife was embedded in his plastron and blood was pooling around them.  
Leo's eyes fluttered open and he let out a shakey cough.  
"I did exactly as you said, sir. I held my head up high." He muttered, clutching onto his hand.  
"Shh, I know, you did everything just right." Hueso responded.  
"I'm sorry I couldn't help more. I keep failing all the time."  
"No, no, you are perfect the way you are."  
Splinter ran into the restaurant and to his sons side.  
"Splinter?"  
"Is he breathing is he going to survive this? Who did this Hueso what do you know?" Slpinter cried.  
"Pops I'm so sorry for forgetting what you taught me." Leo sighed.  
"My son."  
"You taught me ninjitsu."  
"I taught you ninjitsu."  
"You beat me everytime."  
"You would get up every time."  
"I'm sorry."  
Splinter turned away, covering his mouth.  
Hueso looked back at the turtle and started counting.  
"Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve."  
"Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve." Leo repeated, his breathing becoming laboured and his words growing faint.  
"Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve." Hueso repeated again, tears forming in his eyes.  
"Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis-" Leo stopped talking, his heart having stopped.  
"Siete, ocho, nueve. Siete, ocho, nueve." Hueso cried, hiding his face.  
It fell odly silent. Until the screams of a mourning father pierced the air.


	33. Defiance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: death blood

"Tis but a scratch." Leo said defiantly, coughing up blood.  
Donnie held his brothers side, staring at the blood seeping out.  
"I'm calling bullshit 'Nardo." He muttered.  
"You've had worse." Leo protested.  
"That doesn't mean this isn't bad." Donnie groaned, already sick of his brother.  
Leo coughed up more blood. It was getting worse.  
"I'd jump for you again you know. I'd do it every time." Leo sighed, grabbing his brother's hand.  
"I wish you wouldn't. I could've taken that hit. It wouldn't have been so bad."  
"Your battleshell can't take every single hit."  
Donnie paused. He looked at the wound and his brother's face. He looked weak. And he wasn't going to make it.  
"Hey Leo?"  
"Yeah Don?"  
"I love you. Even if you are a self sacrificial bastard who puts pencils in my mouth while I'm asleep."  
"I remember that." Leo let out a weak smile.  
"Yeah. I chased you around the lair and then ignored you for a week."  
Leo didn't respond. His eyes were half open, empty and looking elsewhere.  
"Oh." Donnie sighed, knowing what happened.  
Tears fell down his face. He wanted his brother back.


	34. Chocolate milk

Leo ran into the restaurant and screamed for señor Hueso.  
"Leo? What is wrong?" He asked the turtle.  
Leo caught his breath and muttered something intangible.  
"Hijo, I don't know what you're saying, just take a deep breath. Okay." Hueso urged, calming Leo down.  
"I'm okay, I just- I drank the last of the chocolate milk and now Raph's mad at me." Leo rushed.  
"Get out." Hueso sighed.  
"But-"  
"Not today hijo. Not today." Hueso interrupted.  
He smiled to himself, watching as his kid walked out the door and ran away from his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Choccy milk


	35. Promise

Raph awoke to a presence at his side a subtly reached for his tonfas.  
"Raph it's just me." Leo whispered.  
"Oh. Why are you up it's one in the morning?" Raph yawned, noticing the time.  
Leo was silent.  
"Is it insomnia again?"  
"No it's something else. I've been having nightmares. And I didn't know who to go to." Leo admitted.  
"Do you want to talk about them?" Raph asked, putting an arm around his brother's shoulders.  
Leo shook his head.  
"Do you wanna just sit with me for a bit?"  
Leo nodded a faint smile appearing.  
"Okay." Raph pulled Leo in closer, hugging him tightly.

"If I ever fall, will you catch me?" Leo asked after a few minutes of silence.  
"Of course I would. You're my brother, why wouldn't I?" Raph answered.  
"Good. And if you ever fall, I'll catch you too." Leo promised, his eyes closing and forcing him to sleep.  
Raph smiled and fell asleep soon after.


	36. Coma

"Hey Raph, I brought you some pizza from Hueso's." Leo said as he stared at his brother's sleeping form.  
Raph didn't wake up. He never did.   
"Raph, please wake up. I know I've asked so much from you but please." Leo begged, tears streaming down his face and staining his mask. "Please we need you. I need you. I can't lead, I- I don't know what to do. Please just wake up!"   
He broke down into sobs and started clawing at his plaston.  
"Leo?" Mikey asked from the doorway.  
Leo wiped his face and turned to his baby brother.  
"Yeah. I'm fine. Are you and Donnie prepped for the mission?" Leo asked, fixing his posture.  
"We are. And Leo, you can always talk to us if you want." Mikey offered.   
"I'll be fine." Leo snapped, walking away.


	37. Coma pt 2

"Hey Raph, I brought you some pizza from Hueso's." Leo said as he stared at his brother's sleeping form.

' _Pizza sounds good!'_

"Raph, please wake up. I know I've asked so much from you but please."

_'I'm trying Leo. Trust me. I just don't know if I can. I'm not strong enough.'_

"Please we need you. I need you. I can't lead, I- I don't know what to do. Please just wake up!"

_'No Leo you can do this trust me. I wanna help you but you can do it.'_

"Leo?" Mikey asked from the doorway. Leo wiped his face and turned to his baby brother.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Are you and Donnie prepped for the mission?" Leo asked, fixing his posture.

_'Leo talk to them.'_

"We are. And Leo, you can always talk to us if you want." Mikey offered.

"I'll be fine." Leo snapped, walking away.

_'Leo please. You don't have to do this alone. I never had to because you were there for me now let them be there for you.' Raph pleaded with his brother. He knew he couldn't be heard but he had to try. His brother needed him._


	38. Dear little turtles

Splinter sat at his son's side as they were wrestling each other.  
"Boys please, calm down and sleep." He sighed.  
"Papa we can't sleep. Can you sing for us?" Mikey pleaded.  
"Yeah papa! Sing sing sing!" The other three called out, jumping up and down.  
"Fine. But only if you promise to go to sleep afterwards.  
"I promise on my honour!" Raph said, making his brothers giggle.  
"Dear little turtles how to say to you,  
You have your hearts, your souls and my last name  
When you came into my world you cried,  
And it broke my heart,  
I'm dedicating every day to you,  
Domestic life was never quite my style,  
When you smile,  
You knock me out,  
I fall apart,  
And I thought I was so smart,  
You will come of age with our new nation,  
I'll bleed and fight for you,  
I'll make it right for you  
If I lay a strong enough foundation  
I'll pass it on to you,  
I'll give the world to you,  
And you'll blow us all away,  
Someday, someday,  
Yeah, you'll blow us all away,  
Someday, someday." Splinter sang, watching as his sons fell asleep within seconds.  
He smiled softly, kissing them on their foreheads.  
"I love you, my sons."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last update before the finale and I am scared


	39. Lead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS FOR THE FINALE  
> Tw: blood, missing limbs

"Guys I'm gonna be fine." Leo protested as his brother carried him away from the fight.  
"Leo you can't stand. We have to get you to safety." Raph snapped.  
He sat his brother down beside a rock and looked at his leg. The blood seeped out where his foot should've been and Raph sighed.  
"I'm gonna get Don and Mikey. We gotta get you to the med bay."  
"Fine. Just make it quick." Leo groaned.  
Raph ran off and tears welled in Leo's eyes.  
"Whats the point of being a leader if I can't help." He muttered to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that finale huh? Also fuck n*ckelodeon


	40. Fear

Big mama loomed over the turtle and grinned.  
"Now then my little turtly boo, after your last victory in my arena, I realised something."  
"You finally see how you're a bitch?" Leo joked, wiping the blood from his mouth.  
"Shut up." She snarled before regaining her posture. "I realised that you rely on your family. That you need them. But after talking to them for a bit-"  
"What did you-"  
"I said shut up." She spat, flinging a web at his mouth. "After talking to them for a bit, I learned that they don't need you. You're just a dead weight that keeps annoying them."  
Leo shook his head in disbelief, clawing at the web covering his mouth.  
"Now then, let's see how you do in the arena now? I wish you luck and remember to put on a show." Big mama smiled and thew a katana at his feet before sending him into the arena. 

He stood in front of the cheering crowd and kept trying to rip off the web attatched to his mouth.  
They can't hate me. They would never say that. But they would wouldn't they?  
And then her voice rang out.  
"Welcome to this special battle nexus where a returning champion has to face his worst fears."  
Wow. How original. Leo thought to himself as he readied his weapon.  
"And our challengers, his 'loving' family." She taunted as six figures walked into the arena, scowls on their faces.  
It was them. His family walked towards the center and he rushed forward to hug them.  
"Don't." Raph said.  
Leo stopped in his tracks. He looked at them with confusion plastered on his face.  
"You really can't answer? You really can't think of a funny line or a joke when you face your family?" Donnie scoffed.  
No no no that's not true.  
"Guys go easy on him." Mikey said.  
Yes! I knew I could count on you!  
"It isn't his fault he's weak." He continued.  
Leo took a step back. It wasn't right. His brothers wouldn't do that. He looked at his dad.  
But Splinter just turned away.  
Dad...  
They looked at him with shame. And he felt every eye in the stadium on him.  
"I wish your brother hadn't caught you." Draxum snarled as a vine flew towards his chest and threw him into the air.  
Leo fell.  
He really likes throwing me around huh? Leo thought to himself.  
He hit the ground and saw April standing over him.  
"Oh Leo. You really need to be stronger." She sighed before jabbing her bat into his chest, pushing it down.  
April please... Please. He begged, tears welling in his eyes.  
A hand fell on his throat and he was suddenly lifted into the air.  
Raph had him by the throat and squeezed.  
"Hm. What's this?" Raph mused, noticing the web covering Leo's mouth.  
He ripped it off and Leo gasped for air.  
"Raph-" he croaked between breaths.  
"Give me a reason why I should let you live after everything you've done for us." Raph commanded.  
"I'm sorry." Leo heaved.  
"Too late." Raph snarled.  
He added his other hand and squeezed harder.  
Leo started sobbing.  
He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think.  
"Leo!"  
He fell to the floor and let in a large breath. He clutched his throat and started massaging where he was grabbed. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up.  
"Raph?" He squeaked.  
"It's okay. I'm here." Raph comforted.  
He glared at the other Raph and his 'brothers'.  
"Back away now." He growled.  
The six figures merged into one. It turned fuzzy and rabbit like. And it started giggling.  
"Mrs Cuddles." He sighed.  
"Hello Raph! Do you want a cuddle?" She asked.  
"No thanks. I'd rather get out with my family." Raph said, putting on a brave facade.  
"What family? It's just you and your scared brother!" She giggled.  
"You should never underestimate the Hamato clan. We are never alone." Raph gloated.  
Five figures dropped from above, forming a wall in front of Leo.  
Leo looked up and saw his family by his side. Defending him.  
"Hey 'Nardo, you okay?" Donnie asked, as he handed Leo his odachi.  
"I'll be okay." He croaked, standing up and staring at Mrs Cuddles. "I think, I'm gonna be a two time battle nexus champion. What do you guys think?"  
They rolled their eyes and looked back at the monstrosity that was Mrs Cuddles.  
"Well this is no fun. Maybe I should spice this up again?" She sneered.  
Mrs cuddles bacame a black sludge and sperated into six seperate pools.  
They surged forwards and consumed them, suffocating them with darkness. 

Raph heard the giggles before he saw the puppet. She loomed over him, grinning ear to ear. Raph backed up, finding a wall behind him.  
"There is nowhere for you to run now." She snarled before lunging. 

Donnie reached for his tech bo but found it missing.  
"Great. I just added the anti-beach ball function and I cant even use it!" He groaned.  
A ball started bouncing towards him and he almost screamed. 

"Raph? Don? Leo? Where are you?" Mikey asked, the darkness closing in.  
Bright lights started to rise from the ground. They started moving, dancing around him. And then he saw their faces. Different people trapped inside something he couldn't explain.  
"What-"  
"Join us....." They croaked.  
Mikey shook his head and stepped back, tumbling over a headstone.  
And then a hand shot out of the ground and grabbed his ankle. Mikey screamed as the thing started dragging him down and the spirits laughed.

"Guys... Guys wait!" April screamed, reaching out for the turtles.  
"April we explained this to you. You aren't special. You aren't normal. You're too weird." Donnie snapped.  
April gasped and moved back.  
"This isn't- no!"  
"April." A voice said from behind her.  
"Sunita?" April turned to see her friend.  
"They're right you know? You aren't a mutant or a yokai and yet you're so weird."  
"What?"  
"It's over April. I'll see you around." Sunita turned around and April was alone. 

Their screams echoed in his mind. They called out for him but he was too slow. Their bodies hit the floor. His sons were gone.

Draxum looked around at the flaming hidden city and saw the bodies hit the floor. He saw the flags of the world plastered on tanks and helecopters raining ammunition on the yokai world.  
"No..."


	41. Arson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for the finale

Mikey looked at the match in Casey's hand and flinched. He put his hand on his face and traced along his scars- remembering the horrors of that night. 

"Holy shit Mikey get outta there!" Casey screamed.  
She watched as the roof caved in and the turtle dissapeared from her vision.  
"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" She shouted as she ran into the rubble.   
She tried not to breathe in the smoke as she searched for her friend. She heard the faint, coughs among laboured breathing and ran towards it.  
"Mikey! Mikey I'm so sorry I didn't know! Please be okay." She begged as she rummaged through the burning building. 

"You okay?" She asked the orange clad turtle.  
"Not really." Mikey responded.  
Casey dropped the match to the ground, letting it fizzle out in the puddles.   
"I'm really sorry. I wanna take it all back." She said, tearing up and burying her face in her hands.  
"Me too. And I forgive you. Just, stay away from arson from now on." Mikey responded, hugging the girl close.  
Casey laughed and hugged Mikey back. "I will."  
Mikey started retracing his scars again. Maybe they weren't so bad after all.


	42. Important

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: self sacrifice, salf hatred

Raph followed his brother into the living room and watched as Leo ignored him.  
"Leo- Leo! How am I supposed to look after you if you keep getting yourself in danger?" Raph snapped at his brother.  
Leo slumped into a chair and sighed.   
"Leo! Leo are you even listening to me?" Raph shouted, anger boiling in his veins.   
Leo shut his eyes, blocking it out. "I don't care." Leo groaned in frustration.   
"For shells sakes Leo! I want you to talk to me for once in our lives!" Raph shouted.  
And something in Leo broke.  
"You wanna talk? Fine let's talk! You each have a thing. Something that makes you all useful. You're strong, Don's smart and Mikey is super nice. Me? I do nothing. I try and I fail. So yeah, maybe I'm a little reckless and yeah, maybe I throw myself in danger for you guys. And do you wanna know why? Because I'm not important enough to live!"  
Tears started leaking from Leo's eyes and he fell to the floor sobbing.  
"Hey- hey no. That's not true. You're important." Raph consoled, rushing over to his brother as his anger fizzled out.  
"Tell me. Tell me one fucking thing I've done right!" Leo sobbed, pushing his brother away.   
"You helped us with Shredder-"  
"After ditching you guys and you got hurt." Leo snapped  
"You did more than us. You outsmarted Big Mama. And you always know what to do under pressure." Raph urged.  
"And yet here we are. Face it Raph, I'm nothing."   
"Remember rule number Five? No self deprication, we are here to protect our cities and be proud of who we are and how far we've come."   
"That's a stupid rule."   
"No it isn't. Remember one time when April got an F on a science project and she came to us? She said she was useless at it and then we purposely made up somethin sciency and she had to come save us? And then she aced the retake?"   
"Yeah? And?"  
"People's skills and worths aren't measured by tests or things they've done in the past. You care about us enough to wanna put yourself in danger. And we care about you enough to make sure you don't get hurt. And that you feel that we care. Okay?"   
"Why? Why do you care?"   
"You're my brother. And I just do. No rhyme or reason."   
Leo sniffled and looked at his brother.   
"Promise?" He asked.  
"I promise."   
Leo tackled Raph in a hug and sobbed into his shoulder.   
"Thank you." He whispered.


	43. Fear pt 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: fake deaths, violence, blood, fire

"You sick son of a bitch." Leo groaned as the mysterious figure sat in front of him.

Tar rolled off its body and glistened in the false red sun hanging above them. It rolled it's eyes and looked into Leo's.

"Do you know what I am?" It asked.

"No. I just know this isn't a good thing." Leo responded.

"I am a Grom." It said.

"And that means?"

"I am not from your realm. I am from a land of magic and I wish to return."

"Why are you here?"

"I was stolen for my abilities. I can manifest into someone's fear. I was promised my return to the boiling isles if I could dispose of you and your family." It explained.

"I am so confused right now."

"They always are. I just thought you should know, this is nothing against you." And then it lunged towards the turtle, wrapping it's hands around his throat.

They tumbled, grappling with each other. "Get away-" Leo choked as he kicked the grom back.

"Oh you don't understand, I am everywhere. And I have never been defeated." The grom snarled as it lunged towards him.

"Well, I'm all for doing something new. So I'm gonna kick your sorry ass." Leo spat as he grabbed it's head in his head and twisted it.

The stadium sat in silence. Shocked at the twisted turn of events. This fear monster had started to swallow the competitors. And one of them shot up.

"Who's that?" Someone shouted.

"The blue one. The first one in here." Another responded.

He clawed at the liquid on his face and watched as it pooled into something lifeless. He looked at his family and reached for them. Until a foot pinned his hand down.

"Now then Turtle-y boo. You and your family need to learn some manners. You don't interrupt a fight as it makes bad business. And now you have to pay for my losses." She snarled, lifting Leo's head up to look him in the eyes.

"You callous little-"

"Now Leo. I wouldn't go around insulting the person who can save your family."

"What do you want from us?"

"Lou Jitsu."

_Well shit._

Leo glanced at his dad and felt guilt polling in his stomach. He reevaluated his situation and gritted his teeth.

_One villain, one fear monster, three swords and seven unconscious family members._

"Well. What is it going to be?" Big mama asked.

 _I could save them but give up dad. Or I could do something stupid that could get us all killed_. Leo let out his breath and looked up at the yokai stood above him. He pulled his arm out from under foot, letting it pop and forcing her off balance. Leo swung his foot up and kicked her in the nose, forcing her to the floor. Leo ran for his swords and looked at his family. He knelt at Donnie's side and raised a katana above his head.

"I hope this works." He muttered before plunging the sword into the tar.

Donnie ran from the onslaught of beach balls, shrieking in fear. They kept flying at him from nowhere, the abyss providing a disguise for the assailants. A loud rip and a shriek rang out from behind him and everything stopped. Donnie looked around and saw a tear in the sky with light pooling around him and refracting off a sword tip. Donnie reached up and brushed the tip with his fingers and the light surrounded him.

Big mama threw Leo across the arena and smiled as he hit the ground with a sickening crack.

"How stupid are you? I could've freed you and your family and yet you do this? You just sealed their fates." She snarled. Leo coughed and looked up at the yokai walking towards him.

"Why?" He croaked.

"Why not? You and your brothers need to pay. And this is entertaining." she snarled, picking him up by the throat and throwing him like a rag doll. And then she felt something slam into her head, sending her to the floor.

"Back up." Donnie spat, raising his tech bo above his head, ready to attack.

"How did you-" Big Mama gasped, before Donnie brought down his bo on her head, knocking her unconscious.

"Hey my plan worked!" Leo shouted in victory as he hobbled towards his brother. Leo tackled his twin in a hug and started crying.

"I'm so glad you're okay." He whispered before wiping his face. "Now, how do we get everyone out of here?"

Donnie looked over at his family and felt tears welling in his eyes. "You make a portal and we carry them through. Then we can get rid of this thing." Donnie sighed as he gestured to Leo's odachi.

Leo nodded and started to make a portal, running around them to take them to safety.

"Come on… come on." He grumbled, watching as his portals kept flickering out.

The bright blue light of the portal illuminated the arena and Leo sighed in relief. They sunk in and heard the familiar sound of the lair. Leo sat down and buried his head in his hands. _This is all my fault_.

"Come on, we gotta get them out." Donnie urged, placing a hand on Leo's shoulder.

"You should probably rest. Today has been one of those days. I'll get everyone out." Leo responded.

"I'll be fine. I want to help." Donnie said.

Leo smiled and reached for his odachi. He poised his odachi over the grom that was terrorizing Raph and plunged it down. He pulled it back and waited for his brother to wake up.

Raph struggled to escape the puppet's grasp. He couldn't breathe. She kept hugging him tighter. And tighter. And tighter. Light blinded him and he fell to the floor, clutching his chest and gasping for air. He squeezed his eyes shut and started blocking out the light.

"Raph? Raph talk to me buddy, are you okay?" He heard Leo ask.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw his brothers stood above him.

"What happened?" He asked, gripping his head and trying to block out the pain.

"A lot. We can explain later but let's just get you comfy." Donnie responded as he propped a pillow under Raph's head.

"Wait where's-" Raph began.

"Everyone's here. We just have to wake them up. Now rest." Leo cut him off, draping a blanket over his brother.

Raph sighed and snuggled closer to the warmth. He shut his eyes and saw her face. He grumbled and stared up at the ceiling. _Bested by a fake rabbit_. He looked over at his brothers and saw them kneeling over Mikey. And they stabbed the liquid.

Mikey covered his eyes and tried to run from the ghosts and zombies following him. "Please just go away!" He screamed as he tore his arms away from a zombie clawing at him. A light blinded him and he tripped over his feet and fell face first onto the tarmac, grazing his chin. He opened his eyes and saw his brothers sat by his side. He took a moment to process what he had seen before breaking down into silent sobs.

"Mikey? Mikey? Hey, hey it's okay. It's stopped now. It's over." Donnie assured, hugging his brother tightly and alerting Raph's big brother senses.

Raph crawled over and swarmed them in a hug, dragging Leo with him.

"We're gonna be fine. We're all here. We got you." Raph muttered.

"You aren't alone." Leo whispered, tears welling in his eyes.

"Leo. How did Big Mama capture you?" Raph asked, pulling out from the hug.

_"Hola Hueso. Can I have the usual please?" Leo asked his friend._

_"Of course you can. Do you wanna sit down while you wait?" Hueso asked._

_"Sure." Leo strolled over to an empty seat and started playing a game on his phone._

_A minute passed before someone grabbed him by the shell and lifted him into the air._

_"Hey what the-" he shouted, trying to face his assailant._

_"You're coming with me." They snarled through their mask._

_It was Big Mama's assistant._

_"Put him down right now." Hueso commanded._

_"Or what?" The assistant snarled._

_Hueso pulled out a knife from behind him and pointed it at the assistant. They sighed and threw Leo to the ground before pulling out a small knife of their own. They lunged at the skeleton and plunged the knife into their chest, using it as a handhold to throw him across the room. He hit the wall with a crack and fell limp._

_"No!" Leo screamed, trying to run to his friend. But the assistant caught him._

_"Running isn't an option." They hissed as they placed a cloth over his mouth._

_Leo felt his body go numb and his senses dulled. He tried to fight but his limbs wouldn't respond. He was dragged away into a van and heard screams of yokai shouting about a fire._

_'Hueso' he thought, trying to help. And everything went black._

"It doesn't matter. Let's just get everyone up." Leo grumbled, picking up his katana and walking away.

"Leo-" Mikey began, trying to stand up before collapsing.

"It's best you rest. I'm gonna help Leo." Donnie sighed, following his twin with more pillows and blankets.

April cried. There was nobody. She had no-one. Nobody would hear her. Nobody could. She stared at the picture on her phone. She was sat with the turtles and Sunita, each of them with a boba tea and Leo was choking on his. Everyone seemed so happy. But now she knew they were only pretending. She lowered her head, guilt weighing her down as she stared at her shoes. She was alone. A soft light fell on her and she looked up. She wiped her face and saw something inviting amidst the light. She ran. Leaving the darkness. She shielded her eyes from being blinded and found herself in the lair.

"April, you good?" Donnie asked her.

"You didn't leave me?" She stuttered, looking at her friends.

"Why would we do that?" Leo asked, confused.

"April, you're our friend. That would be a dick move." Donnie continued.

She smiled and tears formed in her eyes. "I have to make a phone call."

"Hey dad, April's calling me!" Sunita shouted to her dad.

"Do what we planned!" He shouted back.

Sunita took a deep breath and answered the call.

"Hey April, how are you?" She asked, butterflies forming in her stomach.

"I could be better. It's good to hear your voice." April responded.

"It's good to hear you too. Anyways I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"Do you wanna go out with me? Like, on a date?" Sunita asked.

"As in, a date date as more than friends?" Sunita panicked.

"I mean if you don't want to then no. And I'm sorry if I messed this up I just-"

"I'd love that." April giggled.

"You would?"

"Yeah. Do you wanna plan?"

"Sure. I have a few ideas and I guess I'll see you then."

"See you then." April hung up and Sunita screamed in glee. She reached for her phone and started searching for date spots. It had to be perfect.

April threw herself back and blushed into her hands. _I have a date. With a cute girl._

"April? You good?" Donnie asked. "I have a date with Sunita. And you are not to follow me." She squealed.

"We won't. I'm gonna help Leo with dad so rest." Donnie laughed, giving April supplies before turning to see Leo stabbing at the monster on his father.

Splinter lay flowers down and started to cry.

_I'm sorry. I shouldn't have failed you. I should've been better._

He gripped his face in his hands as the memories played back in his mind.

_No please not again._

Their blood was on his hands. He looked up at their graves and saw them. They looked down on him and spoke in unison. _**"You failed. You couldn't even keep us alive. Pathetic."** _

Splinter looked away, covering his ears from their onslaught of insults. But they wrenched his hands away.

_**"Listen to us. You failed to protect us. And now we want you to pay."** _

Splinter shut his eyes. _This isn't real. It isn't. My sons would never do this_.

"Dad?"

"Leave me alone!" he shouted.

"Pops!" Against Splinter's better judgement, he opened his eyes.

He saw his sons sat by his side, comforting him from what had happened.

"What happened?" He asked, trying to remember everything that had happened.

"We can explain later. We still have some things to do first. But just rest okay?" Donnie responded.

"Is everyone okay?"

"They're gonna be fine. We made sure of that." Leo assured, pointing to his brothers and April, who were all sipping hot cocoa and watching a movie.

Splinter let out a sigh of relief and held Leo and Donnie's hands.

"I'm glad you're okay." He shut his eyes and started snoring, exhaustion having crept up on him while he was trapped.

Explosions rang throughout the city and Draxum couldn't do anything. It was over. The yokai fell and the humans conquered. Leaving no trace of the beauty that was the hidden city. A helicopter hovered close to him and stared at him with malicious intent.

"Fire!"

A rocket shot towards him and he shut his eyes, accepting his fate. Warmth flooded his body as he was brought back to reality. He opened his eyes to see the turtles staring down at him.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Oh good you're alive." Donnie said.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Many, many reasons." Leo joked.

"Which you should explain." Donnie commented.

Leo sighed and called his family over to talk about what had happened.

"That thing was a grom. It came from another dimension and it can turn into someone's greatest fear. All it wanted to do was go back home." Leo explained, watching as his family slowly understood what had happened.

"But, why were you taken?" Mikey questioned.

"Big Mama wanted us gone. She told the grom he could go back if I was 'disposed' of." His family looked down at the floor.

"Hey it's fine. Nobody got hurt. The only problem is Señor Hueso…" he didn't finish his sentence before he lunged for his odachi and opened a portal. He ran through, ignoring everyone's cries and saw the restaurant.

The charred remains taunted Leo. 

_No. I should've stopped this. I should've fought back_.

He fell to the floor and started sobbing. He didn't hear the shuffling of the rubble until someone sat next to him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know. It's a real shame you won't be able to get pizza any time soon." Hueso joked.

Leo hesitated before wiping his face and letting out a small chuckle. "Yeah. It isn't like there are any other places that sell pizza."

"Are you okay?" Hueso asked.

"I should be asking you." Leo said, gesturing to the restaurant.

"Oh please. The insurance was enough to put junior through college and for me to get a new place. And mystic healing works wonders. So, how are you? And don't lie, I saw the fight."

"I feel like shit."

"Understandable. And your family?"

"They're fine now, just shaken up. I just don't want Big Mama following us."

"That woman gives me the creeps. Now go. Spend time with them. You need it." Hueso sighed, picking Leo up and forcing him to make a portal.

"Thanks Hueso. I'll see you around." Leo smiled, stepping through into the comforts of his home.


	44. Centepede

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes this is in a group chat format. Yes this based on a real conversation I have had

CJ: Guys. Guys there is a centepede on my ceiling

D: Get rid of it?

CJ: I dont have anything and i just wanted to find a job

L: Arson is now your only option

R: Leo no. Get a cup and fling it outside.

CJ: Im short. I cant reach.

M: Do you have a stick?

CJ: I got a hockey one? Does that work?

M: Yeah. You get him on the stick and fling him out a window.

CJ: Okay. Imma do that.

CJ: SHIT IT RAN INTO MY ROOM

M: Oh no!

L: Hahahhahaha

D: Wow.

CJ: WHAT DO I DO I CANT FIND IT????

D: We're on our way Casey. Just dont panic too hard.

CJ: Easier said than done.


	45. Reactor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw death, blood, electrocution

"The reactor is going to bring the lair down!" Donnie screamed from his right.   
"We're stuck in here! What about New York!" Raph responded.   
"Guys I'm scared." Mikey whimpered.   
Leo looked over at his brothers and his mind wandered to his last resort.   
"Tell everyone I love them. I'm sorry." He shouted, throwing something towards them and starting to get up.   
Everything hurt as he moved but he didn't let it stop him.   
He started running.   
He raised his odachi and plunged it into the reactor.   
It let out a loud bang and the lights burst.   
He wailed in pain and fell to the floor, electricity coursing over his body. He felt blood running down his face as he slowly lost his grip on hearing and sight.   
He felt his brothers run to his side and felt them checking him over.   
He knew they were shouting his name, he knew they were begging for him to respond.   
"I'm sorry. I love you." He whispered.


	46. Mayhem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has been a very very long time but I have ANGST

April looked on at the battlefield. Her friend faced the villain, defending her.   
He was hurt. She knew it.   
And yet he didn't back down.  
The rhino charged, flinging the smaller yokai aside. Mayhem hit the wall with a sickening crunch, falling to the floor, unmoving.   
April screamed.   
She ran over to her friend, scooping him up into her arms. Sobbing all the while.   
She begged him not to leave her. Begged him to stay.   
The fight settled around her, the police and her brothers having won. They gathered round the sobbing girl, seeing what had become of the yokai and started crying themselves.   
They heard a faint chirping from April's arms and looked down at the yokai.   
His eyes were half open, in immense pain and yet somehow smiling at them.   
Reassuring them he was going to be okay.


End file.
